Improving the Protection and Wellbeing of Children in Europe: Enhancing the Curriculum

Abstract

This paper provides comment on the first year implementation of a current Erasmus+ funded project being conducted by institutions across eight countries. With a focus on educating social work students and trainees, with particular emphasis on child protection and welfare, the paper discusses the project aims and outputs and highlights some of the deliberations in the project’s first year, in the context of internationalization. Discussion focuses on contextualising international social work and integrated child protection, followed by reflection on the initial challenges identified when working across cultures and borders whilst holding onto a central, agreed aim. The paper discusses how the project is moving forward within current socio-political contexts and the challenges this brings to social work educators and professionals working in an ethical framework and professional value base.